Two mocking birds sitting on my porch roof. I did not help that chipmunk to commit suicide. Watched a SMART squirrel get across a busy street by using the sidewalk overpass (constructed so children don't cross at street level).

Daffodils blooming all over the neighborhood as was a Kwanzen Cherry and a Star Magnolia. Saw a Tulip tree that should be open by tomorrow.

Wandered around my back yard when I got home and found the following:

daffodils:

more daffs, some single blood root and in the neighbors yard some scilla:

hellebores and a closeup:

and a rugosa rose already unfurling it's leaves:

The willows are at that lovely yellow-green haze stage. Some maples are flowering which explains why I was sneezing so much when I opened the windows yesterday. We are about a month ahead of things by my figuring. I looked back at old garden pictures and found some comparisons.

The daffs in the side bed on March 31, 2010.

The backyard March 31, 2003. Not much of anything is up.

The hellebore by the back shed, in comparison to the one above from March 27, 2009.

These are all old established plants so size, etc. has to do with weather. I could do more but it is just amazing how much further along we are. This week is supposed to be in the upper 70s F all week. So some of the daffodils and definitely the bloodroot will be past their best by the end of the week.